The Torah That Follows Us Beyond Life

In the book "Torat HaBayit," a story is told: "Once there was a devout man who secluded himself in a certain place to study the Tractate Chagigah. He would delve into it and review it many times until he mastered it thoroughly. This was the only tractate he knew from the Talmud, and he would study it all his life.

When he passed away, he was home alone, and no one was aware of his death.
A figure of a woman appeared, stood over him, and raised her voice in weeping and lamentation. Her cries and screams grew, attracting a crowd, and she said to them: 'Eulogize this righteous man, bury him with honor, and you will earn the world to come, for he honored me all his days and I was never abandoned or forgotten.' Immediately, the women gathered with her and performed a grand eulogy. The men took care of his burial and all necessary arrangements, ensuring he was buried with great honor. The woman continued to cry and scream. They asked her, 'What is your name?' She replied, 'Chagigah is my name.' Once the man was buried, the woman vanished. They understood then that the Tractate Chagigah had appeared in the form of a woman, coming to mourn him and ensure his respectful burial, owing to his lifelong devotion to studying it."
It aligns with the saying from the Mishnah (Ethics of the Fathers, Chapter 6): "At the time of a person's departure, nothing accompanies them... except for Torah and good deeds."

("Otzrot Acharit HaYamim")

The Angel Gabriel Announces the Day of Death

The angel Gabriel is sent to inform the holy soul that the time has come to leave the body. Meanwhile, the Angel of Death approaches the soul, associated with the evil inclination, to extract it against its will. Despite being notified by Gabriel that her time has come, the holy soul will not depart until she sees the Divine Presence. When she perceives the three angels uniting with the Divine Presence in their hues, she bows in reverence...

Honoring Parents, Even After Their Passing

[The verse in the Ten Commandments] "Honor your father and your mother" implies giving them all forms of respect, both physically and spiritually... [How?] By making them proud through good deeds, for these bring them joy in both this world and the next [as it is written], "The righteous man rejoices his father" [Proverbs 23:24]. [Meaning], joy in this life's time, and further happiness in the next world [after passing].

(Zohar, Yitro 93 Raaya Mehemna, Matok Midvash p. 388)

For Those Who Didn't Repent Before Death

[For one who wished to repent but couldn't, and died], then Hashem regards their intention as if the act was done, for a good intention is joined by Hashem to the deed.

The article continues to describe various conditions for ascending from deep despair through sincere intentions (pages 292-294).

(Zohar, Terumah 150, Matok Midvash p. 292-294)

The Soul Leaves the Body and Observes From Above

The Talmud (Tractate Shabbat 153a) recounts that Rav said to Shmuel before his passing: "During my eulogy, endeavor to warm the audience's hearts, so they feel compassion and weep, for I will be there during the eulogy."

The soul knows and "hears" what is spoken about it, "the conclusion of the matter, all is heard..." (Ecclesiastes). Rabbi Abbahu comments (ibid. 152b): "Everything spoken in front of the deceased, they know, until the grave is sealed, and some say until the flesh decomposes."

However, the soul's awareness of the body's condition persists for a much longer period: "Worms are as painful to the dead as passing a needle through live flesh," as explained also in the Tosafot Yom Tov on "Ethics of the Fathers" (Chapter 2, Mishnah 7). This is distressing to the deceased's "nefesh" seeing its own degradation, as the soul remains, and this is one of the reasons for burial, so the soul doesn't suffer the indignity of an unburied body.

(Tosafot Yom Tov and Rashba's responsum 369)